Portrait of a taste-maker: an infusion of sweet, savory apricots can energize even the most familiar dish

Vegetarian Times, July-August, 2004 by Alexandra Greeley

Mention blush orange, and some people may think of sunsets or tropical cocktails or even rosy complexions. I think of apricots my first love in the fruit world. Lucky in childhood to spend time on a small California ranch rimmed of dozens of apricot trees, I looked forward to apricot's season as only a child might do: with greedy anticipation. At that time, I could climb into the trees' lower branches and pluck off and eat tree-ripened fruit until sated. And this love affair with apricots has never dimmed over the years, though I no longer nave trees to climb.

Known, by the Chinese as "Moons of the Faithful" and meaning "precious" in Latin, apricots or Prunus armeniaca L, have a faithful following in most countries but especially in Afghanistan, Turkey, Iran, Morrocco and Syria--some of the first countries to welcome apricots as they were carried westward from China centuries ago. Today, Turkey is considered the world's largest apricot grower, though most of its crop is dried and sold in Europe. In the United States, California ranks No. 1, producing about 77,000 tons of apricots annually, reports the California Fresh Apricot Association, which equals about 95 percent of the country's annual crop, though states such as Washington, Oregon and Idaho contribute a percentage to the marketplace.

When you find fresh apricots in your summer marketplace, take advantage of their relatively short season, and stock your fruit bowl. Select apricots that are yellow-orange and firm, and handle them gently because these fragile fruits bruise easily. Store them at a cool room temperature--you can hasten the ripening of underripe apricots by wrapping them in a paper bag and keeping them at room temperature until ripe.

A cousin to the ubiquitous peach, the smooth-skinned and just-sweet apricot is a many-splendored fruit available in many varieties that can embellish both sweet and savory dishes and add a subtle fruitiness when pureed into beverages. Available fresh, canned and dried, the versatile and ever-ready apricot can become a cook's best friend. Keep plenty on hand.

Creamy Apricot-Red Lentil Soup

SERVES 4

30 MINUTES OR LESS

This orange-on-orange soup vibrates with a vivid color and a subtle tangy-sweet flavor Delicious hot, it is also equally good chilled. Makes about 5 1/2 to 5 3/4 cups.

1 cup hulled uncooked red lentils,
  well rinsed
4 cups nonfat vegetable stock
1 cup carrot juice
1 cup nonfat plain yogurt
6 large apricots
2 tsp. ground cumin, or to taste
2 tsp. garlic powder, or to taste
1 tsp. onion powder, or to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  to taste
1/3 cup toasted cashews, coarsely
  chopped, for garnish, optional
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, for garnish
1/2 cup dried apricots, coarsely
  chopped, for garnish

1. Put lentils and vegetable stock into a
large saucepan, and bring to a boil over
medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low,
cover pan and continue cooking for about
15 minutes more, or until lentils are tender.
Remove from heat, and set aside.

2. Put 1 cup cooked lentils, carrot juice, yogurt,
apricots, cumin, garlic powder, onion
powder, salt and pepper into a blender or
food processor, and process until smooth.
Pour mixture back into pan, and reheat for
3 to 4 minutes.

3. To serve, ladle about 1 1/4 cups soup into
individual bowls, and garnish with cashews,
if using, cilantro leaves and apricots.

PER SERVING: 280 CAL; 16G PROT; 0.5G TOTAL FAT (0G SAT, FAT); 54G CARB; 0MG CHOL; 310MG SOD; 8G FIBER; 8G SUGARS

Apricot-Ginger Stir-Fry

SERVES 4

30 MINUTES OR LESS

Served over healthful brown rice, this easy-to-assemble Asian-inspired entree will please family and friends with its combination of sweet and sour tastes.

1 cup quick-cooking raw brown rice
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
3 Tbs. shredded fresh ginger,
  or to taste
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
6 oz. teriyaki-seasoned seitan
2 Tbs. minced garlic, or to taste
8 oz. baby bok choy, rinsed and
  cored
5 or more fresh apricots, pitted
  and quartered
2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
2 tsp. sesame oil
3 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbs. sugar, or to taste
2 Tbs. cornstarch

1. Cook brown rice according to package
directions, and when ready, remove from
heat and set aside, covered.

2. Heat a large wok or skillet over medium
heat. When hot, add oil and stir-fry ginger,
mushrooms and seitan for 2 to 3 minutes,
or until seitan is browned. Add garlic, bok
choy and apricots, and continue stir-frying
for 1 minute more.

3. Meanwhile, combine 2 cups vegetable
stock, sesame oil, soy sauce and sugar. Stir
together 1/2 cup vegetable stock and cornstarch
to make a slurry, and combine with
sesame oil mixture. Pour over contents of
wok, stir well and cover. Cook for 2 to 3
minutes more, or until sauce thickens. Uncover,
stir well and remove from heat.

4. Spoon rice onto serving platter or individual
dishes, and top each with equal portions
of apricot mixture. Serve while hot.

PER SERVING: 330 CAL; 21G PROT; 11G TOTAL FAT (1G SAT. FAT): 39G CARB: 0MG CHOL; 670MG SOD; 2G FIBER; 5G SUGARS

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